“Decisions, not conditions, determine what a man is.”
VICTOR FRANKLE
With the onset of the rainy season, expected floods and calamities, it is truly important for all to understand the process, conditions and circumstances when & how work cancellations or class suspensions are made.
The recent super typhoon “Carina” wrought havoc in a country that had been used to such scenario every rainy or wet season. It was reported that least P1B worth of agricultural livestock & products was destroyed, P308M school infra damaged, roads & bridges that need quick repairs, tons od garbage, rows of flooded vehicles and a bruised presidential ego after boasting of 5,500 flood control projects completed. According to data available on line, NCR “benefitted” from 656 flood control projects from 2022 – 2024.
The Philippines, being a typhoon-prone country has an average of 20 typhoons going through the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). Months of June to September though lately rains extend even up to November. August is when the strongest & longest rains occur.
It is during this period that a lot of online memes thrive. The harder the rain falls, the higher the level of floods and the more uncomfortable the situation becomes, either for the riding public, students, parents & workers, the more things become sarcastically brutal on line.
The brunt of ridicule and disdain whenever there is a slight delay on disposition on cancellation of school classes, of government offices and private entities during a typhoon, heavy rain downpour or flooding is the decision maker who could be the LGU head/s, school principal/s & concerned government agencies. The longer a decision is made, the more blatant or brutal the memes will be. It could be a combo of extremely funny memes to the sarcastic quips (“Bagyo ka lang…waterproof kami”…”Students are not machines”…”Himbing ng tulog ni mayor”….”wet wet wet…work work work”).
Let us check the proper protocol on how classes & work are assessed if cancellation or suspension is called for.
Everything emanates for the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical & Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) by doing weather forecasts, tropical cyclone warnings, flood bulletins and advisories plays a vital role in the decision making process if there is a need to cancel school classes or work be in government offices or private businesses or even online classes or work.
I remember a particular situation when the local government unit hadn’t immediately acted on the situation because the storm signal warning was the lowest though there is a continuous heavy downpour, flooding low lying areas & roads. This angered parents and students alike because what happened was a clear case of safety risk for students and riding public alike. Thus the meme “nakatulog si Mayor” or when the school head based the decision not to cancel classes just because the school compound itself is as dry as the Sahara and so “bagyo ka lang…waterproof kami”.
Though any decision to cancel or suspend classes must come from the local government, because they are assumed to have a clearer view of what is happening on the ground, a school head may also cancel or suspend classes in cases where urgent action is needed to prevent loss of life or bodily harm. Unfortunately, out of courtesy or plain negligence, there was an instance that each waited for the other party to make that crucial decision that resulted to a very late declaration of class/work.
That is why, in 2022, the DepEd issued Department Order 37, giving school heads the authority and discretion to suspend classes then shift to alternative delivery modes in cases of extreme heat which we really experienced last summer and other calamities that may put into risk the health and safety of students, teachers, and other school personnel.
Decision on work suspension in government offices/agencies or schools should be quite simple actually. Based on PAGASA weather forecast advisories, situation on the ground and if & when there is an immediate threat to life or safety.
For the private sector or businesses, big and established organizations or multi national companies normally have in place a Business Continuity Management (BCM) &/or Business Continuity Plan (BCP) as guide.
Based on my personal experience, for typhoons, as the HR head & an accredited Health & Safety Officer as well, it is quite different. It is an efficient layer of decision-making process based on a combination of science and practical sense.
The decision-making process should start at most a day before the expected typhoon. We should be talking about possible scenarios and risks. This is to enable all stakeholders to implement contingencies. Aside from safety, a lot of factors, considerations and scenarios are to be looked at by decision makers before suspending work, either before the start of the work day, or during the duration of the work hours.
Decision makers composed of the top management team to which I had always been a member
ably supported by the Safety Officer and Health & Safety Committee as guided by the Health & Safety Manual &/or BCM & BCP of any emerging scenario.
Based on collated data and confirmed forecast, management will invoke the BCM. It can immediately declare suspension of work or wait it out to assess further.
The BCM is the process of planning for and dealing with potential threats and hazards to an organization’s ability to maintain business continuity. Crucial as well would be the steps to resumption of the business & speed up recovery after a disruptive scenario or the BCP.
If work is not suspended, management will usually check on employee demographics (mode of transportation, home address & location, technical skills, etc). It is always assumed that in any given emergency scenario wether strong typhoon, rains or floods, at least a 20% – 30% absent rate is certain because the practical decision on if an employee should go to work or not based on many considerations primarily safety, rests on the employee not with the employer. Those that reported for work would surely need the appreciation & protection of the company specially when going home.
If the situation worsens, example a typhoon or monsoon showers, the possibility of another management meeting to decide of totally suspending operations is imminent. The next planning would have to be on how to bring home employees safely. It is ideal to provide transport door to door though many employees have their own mode of transportation.
Though any work suspension or disruption actually entails losses be it on projected revenue, arrival of products and/or materials based on projected transit time, absences or lack of manpower, lower output against target or even facility damage, the way private business handle such BCP events and scenarios speak well of what the entity really prioritizes. Is it merely revenue, customers satisfaction or the safety & well being of employees.
Am very fortunate to have worked for organizations & companies that have placed premium of the safety & well being of its employees over and above revenue & delivery time.
There was just one instance that have made me have second thoughts about my decision to suspend work. When the inclement weather became more intensified, I recommended the immediate suspension of work and send home workers with safety of employees and well being of their families as the primary consideration and as the most valued assets of the company.
A nearby mall was reported to teeming with familiar employees roaming around doing window shopping and chilling with friends. To be positive about it, I just assumed they were just waiting for the strong winds, heavy rains & flood to subside. With their MyDay and fb walls becoming a virtual show of bonding moments, “Mapapa sanaol ka na lang talaga”.
GOOD MORNING HARDWORKING PEOPLE!
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